Tomorrow's Elections

Tomorrow, Afghans go to the polls to elect members to their lower house of the National Assembly. Unlike this country there are a heck of a lot of people running for office - 2,000 candidates for 249 seats. Wouldn't it be nice if we could have so many willing to run for office? And we don't have the security and other problems Afghans face.

Robert Lamb of the Center for Strategic and International Studies has four "Critical Questions" about the election:

1. Is much violence expected on Election Day?
2. Will these elections be free and fair or marred by fraud?
3. Given these challenges, do elections in Afghanistan represent real democratic progress, or are they just a bone that entrenched interests throw to Western diplomats?
4. How many women are running for office? How many are expected to win?

Read his answers. He is not giddingly optimistic.